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Car Wash In A Can

I’m pumping 100 gallons of gasoline into my motorhome. Some guy with the name “STEVE” on his shirt walked confidently around the front of my motorhome, an aerosol spray can in his hand.

Steve launches into a very vigorous sales pitch for his “car-wash-in-a-can” product.

Having been in sales most of my life, there’s no way I was going to shut Steve down. He was selling with confidence & personality. He demonstrated the product for me.

I ended up buying four cans of the stuff from Steve.

He had a little table set up in front of the gas station, and was working with a guy named Larry. They tried to upsell me. Twice.

I asked Steve a lot of questions about his business. Was it tough making a living this way?

“Not really,” Steve said. “I like talking to people, and business has been good.”

As we talked, it was obvious that these guys enjoyed what they did, and were very good at it.

Steve handed me a business card. “If you send me business, I’ll send you checks,” Steve said. Bingo! The gas station salesman has an affiliate program.

What does this have to do with Internet business?

Everything. Here we are, in a time when a lot of people are being washed out of all kinds of businesses, online and offline.

The excuse given is usually: “the economy”.

I’ve addressed the use of those two words as excuse elsewhere.

You see, the very qualities exemplified by Steve and Larry are the same qualities that could save a lot of businesses from going under.

Usually, when I’m talking with an Internet marketer or even a brick-and-mortar business owner, and they start telling me how bad business is, there are certain questions I ask.

“What kind of referral system do you have? Have you called up past customers to try and get more business? Are you doing any kind of direct mail?” etc.

I usually only get about one question deep before they realize their usual “BS” is not going to work on me.

Look, if two guys can carve out a living selling “car-wash-in-a-can” at a gas station, does that leave any excuse for the rest of us?

And does it leave any room at all for excuses from those of us who make our living sitting on our behinds in front of a computer screen?

Answer: no.

Product Launch Application

It’s fair to ask what this has to do with product launches.

Plenty, as it turns out.

My opinion: the #1 cause of product launch failure is… laziness.

Most “product launchers” don’t want to invest money and effort in things like outbound telemarketing, direct mail promotion, telephone sales rooms, and all the things that go into making a product launch really work. So this is my message, observed while embedded in the trenches (just like you): what works right now is… work.

As Warren Buffett said, “When the tide goes out it’s easy to see who’s been skinny-dipping”.

Certainly that’s true in the Internet marketing world.

We’re not experiencing a “bad economy”. For the ?rst time in perhaps ?ve years, we’re experiencing an “accurate economy”. Treasure it. Value it. Learn from it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

6 thoughts on “Car Wash In A Can”

@Robert Stritzinger Interestingly, the point many people miss. is that sometimes we can hustle and still not get the results we want. Then we have to adjust and change the way in which we are hustling. So while hustling does not guarantee success, laziness pretty much guarantees failure.

I am looking for this product. The guy was great and I didn’t buy because my car was old and really can be fixed up but he put it on my headlights and I have tried other products and nothing is working as well as that stuff. Can you let me know what the name is I want to buy some.
Thanks Greg

I have been so guilty of not doing the work necessary to grow my business. I recently started actually going out in public (Gasp! You actually get out from behind your computer?) and saying hi to people. In the process I meet some really cool people who actually need the services I provide. It’s free, I get some exercise, learn people skills, and actually wind up helping people. What a world!

Great Inspiration and even better, you’re actually making me get up and do something about it. The down side is, I’m not going to sit around reading your Blog posts like I intended. Way to keep new subscribers, teach them to get off their butts and leave you blog to do something about their lives.

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About Ray Edwards

My name is Ray Edwards (in case you hadn't guessed that yet). I'm a copywriter and communications strategist, and I've had the privilege of writing for or working with some of the most powerful voices in leadership and business including New York Times bestselling authors Michael Hyatt, Jeff Walker, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen (Chicken Soup for the Soul) and Tony Robbins. I'm also a speaker and author, and host a popular weekly iTunes Business podcast.